Nixon signs into law House Bill 682, make-up days

State representatives Terry Swinger (D-Caruthersville) left, and Tom Todd (D-Campbell) right, with Governor Jay Nixon, center, who recently signed House Bill 682 regarding school make-up days. Photo provided

Governor Jay Nixon recently signed House Bill 682 into law, following its passage by the General Assembly.

The governor placed his signature on the piece of legislature Thursday, May 14, which allows a reduction in the number of days area schools will be required to make up in response to the debilitating storms that hit the Bootheel this winter.

Previous policy would require that area schools make-up the first six days missed in full then one day for every additional two days missed.

"Obviously this would be a huge burden for the schools as some would be making-up twelve or more days and would have little to no break before summer school," said State Representative Terry Swinger, D-Caruthersville, a co-sponsor for HB 682.

" The ice, snow, and high-powered winds that hit our area took down electric poles, power lines, and trees. We all saw the hard work that Ameren UE and the Rural Cooperatives workers put in to restore the area to normal, but even with everyone's hard work and cooperation, the Bootheel was at a standstill for a long time. Every school was out for at least a week, and some as many as three weeks."

The recently approved House Bill will limit the make up days to ten for the school year 2008-2009.

In early February, officials from the Kennett School District, and other area schools visited Jefferson City to meet with Legislators in regards to issues with campuses being closed for several consecutive days due to the ice storm. Together, teachers and legislators such as Swinger and State Representative Tom Todd, D-Campbell, presented pictures and facts on the storm to the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

" At the suggestion of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, I drafted House Bill 682 which would cap the number of make-up days to ten full days," Swinger explained. "Representative Tom Todd joined with 65 other representatives to co-sponsor the bill. I was pleased when HB 682 passed in the House with a unanimous vote and headed to the Senate."

Following a review of the bill, the Senate voted unanimously to approve the measure, advanced by Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, forwarding it on the Governor Nixon who then signed the bill in front of the painted panel in his office that depicts Susan Blow, the Missourian who began the first public kindergarten.

" I was pleased that the governor signed the bill, another display of the commitment that our state has to do the best for Missouri children," Swinger said.